The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment said,
’Eat it thyself.’ And thereupon Sivi
said, ‘Let it be so.’ And Sivi cheerfully
taking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and
thereupon the Brahmana caught hold of Sivi’s
hand and addressing him said, ’Thou hast conquered
wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not give
unto the Brahmanas.’ And saying this, that
Brahmana adored Sivi, and then as Sivi cast his eyes
before him, he beheld his son standing like a child
of the gods, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance
from his body and the Brahmana, having accomplished
all this, made himself visible and it was Vidhatri
himself who had thus come in that guise to try that
royal sage, and after Vidhatri had disappeared, the
counsellors addressed the king, saying, ‘Thou
knowest everything. For what didst thou do all
this?’ And Sivi answered, ’It was not
for fame, nor for wealth, nor from desire of acquiring
objects of enjoyment that I did all this. This
course is not sinful. It is for this that I do
all this. The path which is trodden by the virtuous
is laudable. My heart always inclineth towards
such a course. This high instance of Sivi’s
blessedness I know, and I have, therefore, narrated
it duly!’”

SECTION CLXLVIII

Vaisampayana said, “The sons of Pandu and those
Rishis then asked Markandeya, ’Is there anybody
that is blessed with longer life than thou?’
And Markandeya answered them, saying, ’There
is without doubt, a royal sage of the name of Indradyumna
and his virtue having diminished, he fell from heaven,
crying, ‘My achievements are lost!’ And
he came unto me and asked, ‘Dost thou know me?’
And I answered him, saying, ’From our anxiety
to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves
to any home. We live but for a night in the same
village or town. A person like us, therefore,
cannot possibly know thy pursuits. The fasts and
vows we observe render us weak in body and unable
to follow any worldly pursuits on our own behalf.
Hence, one like us cannot possibly know thee.’
He then asked me, ‘Is there any one who is longerlived
than thou’? I answered him, saying, ’There
liveth on the Himavat an owl of the name of Pravarakarna.
He is older than I. He may know thee. The part
of the Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.’
And at this Indradyumna became a horse and carried
me to where that owl lived and the king asked the
owl, saying, ‘Dost thou know me?’ And the
owl seemed to reflect for a moment and then said unto
the king, ‘I do not know thee.’ And
the royal sage Indradyumna thereupon asked the owl,
’Is there any one who is older than thou?’
And thus asked the owl answered, saying, There is a
lake of the name of Indradyumna. In that lake
dwelleth a crane of the name of Nadijangha. He
is older than we. Ask thou him.’ And
at this king Indradyumna taking both myself and the
owl went to that lake where the crane Nadijangha dwelt.
And that crane was asked by us, ’Dost thou know